Ultimos pensamientos

As you all probably assume (at least I hope you aren't still worrying...), I am back in the U.S., having arrived on my home turf on Thursday night/Friday morning. The return trip turned out to be quite long and slightly delayed, as we waited over 4 hours in the Detroit airport before we caught a flight to GR. The original plan was to wait 3 hours, but for some odd reason two pilots decided to play a practical joke and crisscross gates, leading to mass chaos and a horde of disgruntled passengers. One minute we were waiting at gate A24, the next minute we were at gate A55, and the next minute we were scurrying back to gate A24. Yeah, chaos.

I have spent the last few days reintegrating myself back into U.S. culture and Michigan weather, and I have surprisingly found the latter to be a more challenging venture. No longer can I wear Birkenstocks when I leave the house, and no longer can I peer into the sky to find Mr. Sun shining down on me. As my Mexican parents predicted, I am near congelado. Hehe. Seriously speaking, though, I have found the reentry process to be much more simple and stress-free this time around. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I only spent 3 weeks overseas this time, or maybe it relates to timing (try learning about the perils of American economics immediately before coming home for Christmas). I don't know; maybe I am just used to this whole traveling deal.

I suppose I should share some worthwhile lessons from my experience in Mexico--some closing remarks/impressions, perhaps:

1. Poverty is relative, and it should not be used solely as a way to describe someone's financial situation. To call my Mexican family poor would be dishonorable, as they are richer than most families I know. True, they live simpler lives, but why should we label this poor? Why should an abundance of things lead us to believe that we have more to offer or that we are more equipped to minister to others? Frankly I think we have something to learn from those who have found happiness in their simple lives--lives unhampered by stuff.

2. Although it has its faults (I don't want to touch the Protestant vs. Catholic scuffle), I believe that the Church in Mexico means more to its members than does the Church here in the United States. We should take some time today to think about our motivations for going to church. Not only that, but what does our participation in the church say about our overall faith? I pose these inquiries after observing how involved people are in their churches in Merida and Tzucabab (the pueblo I visited). People don't attend church because it is a tenet of their faith; people attend church because they desire to attend--because it is their home. The church is a place where hope abounds and community flourishes. Church is a source of joy.

3. There is nothing like a fresh tortilla to accompany a dish. Move over Chi-Chis, Mission, or Meijer brand; Dona Rosa's tortillas make your foodstuffs look and taste like cardboard cutouts. Oh, how I will miss tortillas caseras....

I appreciate your interest, amigos y familia. Gracias por leer mis pensamientos y opiniones y por darme sus comentarios tambien. Los disfrute muchisimo!

Que Dios les bendiga,

Tyler "Tito" Petrini